Killer Lies
by Emmalee.Sky
Summary: Ginny Weasley's life was perfect and she had nothing to worry about; she was blissfully happy. Then everything crumbles after she discovers something and she's heartbroken, destroyed inside. Finally, she realizes that the life she was living wasn't what she really wanted and so she decides to take charge. As she does that, many unexpected things happen. And this is her story.
1. Killer Lies

Prologue:

_Darkness _and _Loneliness_: two things that I am completely engulfed in.

But how could I free myself from these two overpowering obstacles right now? Around me, I'm surrounded by _darkness_; _darkness _that no one but me can see.

Please help me understand who brought on this strong, overbearing feeling of _loneliness_? Even though I'm surrounded by hundreds, no, thousands of able bodies.

Can I rightfully put the blame on another or truthfully, put it on myself?

The air is thick and the city is unbelievably cramped but it is completely dulled out by my ever-present depression.

Can I be happy here? Can I find happiness and security once again in the job that I love so much? Will I finally feel at home in this strange, unknown place?

Will I ever?

Or will I constantly be reminiscing of my previous life?

I feel the pain once again and all I can think about is when will the time for my precious daughter and I to finally return home?

**Hello, all! Uploading another Harry Potter fan-fiction! This one is a Drinny (Draco & Ginny) one! This is a special one! It was the first story I uploaded online on Wattpad, so if you have a Wattpad account, I'm Emmalee_Sky! Check me out ;)**


	2. Memories of Betrayal

Chapter One: Memories of Betrayal

Memories, a recollection of past events; they're either pleasant memories or long, horrid moments remembered in perfect detail. Memories, the reason she was here. Yes, the reason that she, Ginny Weasley, was sitting alone at some stupid, muggle pub trying to drown out her own hideous, disastrous memories; she thought sullenly. She sat alone, listening to a muggle device called a portable CD player. Raising the bittersweet drink to her lips, the lyrics brought back so many memories that showed vividly in her mind. And oh did she remember.

_Ginny smiled happily as she walked to Harry Potter's house in Godric's Hallow and let herself in, like always. She made her way to the stairs humming a new tune. She looked around to make sure no one was home. She shouldn't be here without him, she knew, but she missed him so much. Just being here for a little bit would make her feel better. _

_She finally found the door to his bedroom and pushed it open; smelling him in the air instantly and it brought gigantic dragonflies to her stomach. She loved being around his things if she couldn't be around him. She thought about how much she missed him and that thought alone had her rooted to the spot, even if she wanted to leave. _

_Looking around his room, she found one of his cloaks on his bed. She undressed herself and draped it over her shoulders. It smelled like him. Hugging the robe to her body, she inhaled deeply the smell of her Harry. She then found his cologne and sprayed it all over. Oh Harry! She thought smiling. Humming happily she went down stairs and found a CD. Looking around his empty room, she thought about leaving. Harry should be home from work soon. But she couldn't bring herself to actually leave. She needed this if she couldn't see him._

_Silently she thought about how he would react if he found her there. He'd be downright furious but still she couldn't bring herself to leave._

_She grabbed some candles and placed them around the bathtub. She filled the tub with warm bubbly water. When she went back into his room for a moment, she noticed a blank paper on his desk. _

_Ginny would have simply pushed it aside but then she smelled it; perfume. She flipped the paper to the back and didn't see anything. She stared at it for a moment until she remembered the time, many years ago, when the Fred was still alive, that the twins used to write secret messages all over the walls at the Burrow. She bit her lip as she tried to remember the spell and then it popped into her head._

_"Aparecium," she whispered as she laid her wand against the blank sheet of paper._

_ She gasped when suddenly feminine writing appeared. It said:_

_'My Harry, _

_I miss you so much. _

_I miss you in the morning when I wake up without you. _

_I miss you in the day when I have lunch without you. _

_I miss you those nights when I go to sleep without you. _

_I can't wait any longer. Meet me at midnight.'_

_Ginny couldn't believe her eyes. She read it again, over and over again, just to be sure. But there it was, right there was the evidence that it wasn't a dream or rather… a nightmare. Angrily, she tore the letter up and burned the pieces. _

_She then backed away slowly until her back reached a wall and collapsed; tears stung her eyes. Harry was - Harry was cheating on her. How could he?_

_She cried and cried. She couldn't stop. _

_Suddenly, she got to her feet and ran out of his house and apparated right on the spot. She appeared outside the apparition wards right outside the Burrow. She ran up to her room, the room she had been staying in since she was born seventeen years ago. Once she entered her room, she fell crying when she shut the door. _

_She couldn't move. _

_Only when she was completely dehydrated did she get up. _

_Only when she couldn't possibly cry anymore did she get up. _

_And only did she get up to find out who that bastard was cheating on her with._

Those thoughts, those memories alone could only bring Ginny to where she was. Every single time she remembered she found herself sitting at a muggle pub. Things were definitely not getting better.

She was so alone, so _very_ alone.

She needed more distractions. She needed friends.

She had a great friend. She just didn't think she'd go behind her back and get with her boyfriend, Ginny thought, remembering Hermione Granger.

When she thought back to that time, she remembered so many unpleasant things. Hermione Granger, that lying and conniving woman who had not only been _her_ best friend but Ginny's brother, Ron's girlfriend. The dark haired girl had even, on more than one occasion, had looked Ginny in the eyes when she was worried about things with Harry.

How funny, _really_ hilarious that when Ginny was scared Harry didn't love her anymore that Hermione would assure her that he, indeed, did.

How stupid really? Ginny snorted as she brought the drink up to her lips.

"Stupid bitch," Ginny grumbled angrily as she stared down at the glass. "If I only would have known what was going on back then I could have saved myself all this heartbreak."

She hated them, she thought angrily.

Ginny downed the remainder of her drink and motioned for the bartender to refill her glass.

To down one's sorrows in the chemicals of distress will do a great job; she only wished she could just drown, _drown_ and not have to remember anything ever again.

Ginny hated them, she hated them for what they did to _her_. She inhaled deeply, realizing, once again she was prisoner to her own tragic memories.

**Hello, again! I'm sorry if the beginning is slow but it'll pick up, I promise! I hope you enjoy this one! It's the first fan-fiction I started ****_and _****finished! That's always important, you know :) Thanks for reading! Don't forget to review!**

**Emmalee 3**


	3. New Remedies

2. New Remedies

The following morning found Ginny lying face down in her nice, comfy bed. It would seem that even muggle alcohol wasn't exactly the right remedy to help forget her memories, she thought as she tried to lift herself up. Her head felt as if a herd of hippogriffs had stampeded over it. She groaned as she realized that she had the nasty after-effect of said remedy: an honest to Merlin bloody hangover.

"Bollocks, I hate my life." Ginny complained to Artemis, her gray kneazle. Unfortunately, Arnold, her pygmy puff had died days after everything happened with Harry; a devastating hit to after what had happened.

Artemis was lying on the bed beside her; she meowed in agreement to Ginny's words. She groaned again as she rolled over and stuffed the pillow over her head, "I need to find a new and easier-on-the-head-the -next-morning way to erase these stupid memories even for a night. Any ideas, love?" All she got in return was a sad meow. "Ah, I didn't think you would."

In the other end of her apartment she could hear her phone go straight to voicemail, a muggle contraption that helped keep her mother away, momentarily of course, and the person on the other end was said mother. "Ginevra Molly Weasley! Answer the phone! Where are you? Merlin, I hate this muggle thing! You block your fireplace from me one more time young lady and I promise you there will be consequences! Anyway, you were supposed to have breakfast over here at home. Where were you? I heard last night that you went to another pub? Don't tell me you were on another one of you benders. You can't hide away and go to pubs every time things go-" and the answering machine cut her off.

Ginny signed happily at the beautiful silence until her phone rang again and the lecture continued, "Stupid contraption. Okay, where was I? Oh right, you can't hide when things get rough. Face it; you were the one who broke up with Harry anyway. We didn't know things were so bad until you broke up. Dear, maybe you should go see him."

"I will definitely not go see that good for nothing, lying, cheating wanker!" Ginny growled at her answering machine but her mother still continued.

"Well anyway, now is not the time for that. Come over so I can feed you. Love you and see you soon." And the line went dead again.

Ginny hissed every curse word known to mankind at the woman and decided to shower. She stopped as she stood and she automatically swayed.

"Bloody hell, the liquor is not completely out of my system." Then she stopped and thought out loud, "How did I get home?" She looked around as she tried to think back but came up with black dots in the process. She shrugged and dragged herself into the shower. She'd remember sooner or later.

* * *

After Ginny finished her shower she decided to make herself breakfast until she saw the time.

"Merlin's Beard, mum's going to flip. It's 3:35 already!" She cried and looked at Artemis as she ran into the kitchen, "You, cat! Why didn't you wake me up earlier?" Artemis growled at her. "I'm just kidding. Relax right there, tiger." Ginny said as she picked up her phone and dialed her mother.

She had blocked her fireplace from everyone. She didn't want any unexpected calls from there. If anyone wanted to get in touch with her, they'd have to use the phone. Muggles sure knew what they were doing when they invented those.

"Hey mum, I'm coming. Let me just grab my things and I'll apparate right over."

"Perfect sweetie, Ron just got here. Hurry up or your food will get cold." Her mother said and hung up.

Ginny just looked at her phone. Geez, doesn't the woman know how to say goodbye? She thought. Then she realized what her mother had said.

Ron was there.

She hadn't really seen nor spoken to Ron since she broke up with Harry. Harry, her late-cheating-ass-boyfriend-who-called-himself-a-m an, was and still is Ron's best friend; which goes to show that Ginny hadn't told them why she had broken up with Harry. She just felt that it wasn't their business.

"Which it isn't," she muttered to herself as she grabbed her cloak and walked to the door of her apartment that was right above Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes, the joke store her twin older brothers Fred and George had started before Fred had died a little over a year ago.

When Ginny had found out that it was Hermione, Ron's girlfriend and her best friend that Harry was secretly cheating on her with, she was more than heartbroken, she was positively devastated.

All she could think about was how could they do that to her? Not to mention Ron too! Her family still tried to get her to tell them the truth behind their breakup but she had only told them that it wasn't meant to be. Her family absolutely adored Harry and even though they weren't married, the Weasleys had already felt like Harry was part of the family ever since Ron had introduced him to the family when they were eleven years old.

It just didn't seem right that he would cheat on her with his best friend's girlfriend.

It only goes to show how naïve and stupid she was, Ginny thought sadly, to go through all the lies without even suspecting a thing. Merlin, she was such a bloody idiot.

Ginny sighed, closing her eyes as she opened the door to her apartment and stepping outside into the cool, mid-August air; her birthday a week before. She waved her wand, enabling all of the protection wards on the apartment.

It had been only a month and a half since she discovered Harry's unfaithfulness and lies and she still felt like it was just yesterday that she had walked into his room and seen that bloody love letter. It broke her heart to remember but she just couldn't get over it and she probably would never either. Never get over it? But that couldn't be possible, could it? Was there no way she would ever get over Harry and his treacherous lies? Ginny wondered sadly as she apparated to The Burrow.

**How upsetting! Thank you for reading 3**


	4. Let It Go

3. Let It Go

The Burrow hadn't changed much in the years since Ginny had been a child. She didn't live there anymore and it was quieter than it had ever been with only George really living there but it would always be home. It was where she'd grown up, where she'd learned how to fly her first broom without her parents or her brothers knowing, even where she'd burnt her first meal. It was still filled with love and even acceptance though things were currently a little tight between Ginny and the others.

They just didn't know how to let something go much to her annoyance.

Ginny apparated right outside the apparition wards; she righted her cloak and brushed back a lock of hair as she made her way to the house. As she drew near, she could hear yelling. She snorted; it seemed there'd be a full house today. Well, it was Sunday, Ginny thought sadly. Sunday was the day for the Weasleys' family meals. She'd be hoping it would only be Ron and her parents; so much for that.

Blimey, mum was such a liar; Ginny thought as she stopped in front of the door and closed her eyes, exhaling loudly to try and relax. Mentally preparing herself for the craziness that was about to go down in the Burrow.

"GINNY!" Her eyes shot open as someone yelled her name. She looked up to see her mum heading towards her as she stepped through the front door. "Dear, why are you just standing there?" Molly asked curiously.

"I tripped and just righted myself," Ginny lied as she followed her mum into the house.

A large table was laid out in the living room and as soon as Ginny entered, her dad looked up and smiled at her.

"Lunch is ready!" Molly yelled and suddenly, everyone was there.

Bill and Fleur, who was holding the four-month-old Victoire, smiled at her as they took their seats. Charlie winked as he followed suit and Percy looked over and smiled. George was already seated; the seat beside him was empty but Ron came around the table and… Ginny's eyes narrowed dangerously when she saw Hermione Granger, her _ex_-best friend sit quietly next to Ron; she didn't look up at Ginny

Figures the two-timing, lying witch hadn't told Ron yet; Ginny thought angrily.

Everyone muttered a quick hi as she sat down between George and her dad, in a spot where she couldn't see her treacherous _ex_-best friend. Ginny didn't say a word to her and neither did Hermione.

Ginny's blood boiled just having her in the same room, though. She was still bitter towards the other girl for all the wrongs she had committed towards her. Ginny sat there, pouring some gravy on her mashed potatoes, imagining half a dozen ways she could jinx Hermione into another dimension before someone would stop her. They would immediately; she knew it and all of them would be shocked. None of them had a clue what Hermione had done and it was times like this, Ginny questioned her decision on keeping her family in the dark about the reasons behind her and the Boy-Who-_Lied_'s break up.

Halfway through the meal, Hermione excused herself to have dinner with her parents. She said a quick goodbye to Ron and everyone else, left and apparated when she got out of the wards.

Everyone continued to eat and honestly, Ginny could breathe better now that _she _was gone.

They all chatted while they ate; Arthur pulled Bill and Charlie into a conversation about some new product he discovered at his work while Molly talked to Fleur about Victoire's clothing. Ron was eating quietly and George watched Ginny as she stared angrily at her food.

"What's wrong, Gin?" He asked

She looked up from her food and smiled sweetly at him, "contemplating ways to accomplish what I want."

George smiled slightly, "that's my girl."

"You know it," Ginny grinned as she took a sip of her juice.

They ate the rest of the meal in silence for a while and let the conversations around them take over. Ginny took a breath and relaxed, figuring it was safe to say that she was okay and after it was finished, she could definitely run back home but just as she was thinking about _how fast _she'd have to run, her mum looked over at her.

"Ginny, why don't you call Harry to come over for dinner tomorrow?"

The entire table went silent as they looked between the two women. Ginny bit her tongue to keep from lashing at the older woman. Her mother knew better than to bring up Harry to her but did she ever listen? No, she _never _did.

What the hell was wrong with the woman? She growled inwardly then cleared her throat and deliberately ignored her mother. She turned to George and began asking him about the new shipment of items that would be coming in tomorrow at WWW.

"Don't ignore me, Ginevra!" Molly flushed angrily.

"We're not going to talk about Harry, Mum." Ginny stated as she brushed her vivid, flaming hair behind her shoulders. They were definitely _not _going to talk about Harry.

_Never_.

"Be reasonable, Ginny. _You_ love him. _We_ love him." Molly tried.

"We're not talking about Harry and my past relationship." Ginny said through clenched teeth.

"Yes, we are. You're going to tell us right now why you ended things." Molly pushed.

Everyone looked back and forth between the two furious redheaded woman.

"No, Mum. What happened between the two of us is between _us_. I'm not going to tell you." Ginny stood angrily.

It was time to go. Forget waiting until the meal was finished; she needed to get away right now.

"Harry loves you! He does. He wants you back." Ron jumped in.

"Don't, Ron." She turned furiously on him. "Not you," she said. He had no idea what he was talking about. One thing she knew for a fact, knew more than her own name, was that Harry Potter did _not_ love her. He was a liar but Ron didn't know that.

"But Ginny –" Molly started.

"No buts. Things are _over_." She slammed her hands on the table, staring into her mother's eyes. "They are _over! _ Nothing and no one will ever change that." She started to walk away from the table.

"You act like he cheated on you or something," Ron mumbled.

Ginny froze and looked back at Ron. She was seething inside; she was more than mad, she was _livid_. They had no idea what Harry had done to her; how much he had hurt her. Why wouldn't they just let it go? Why wouldn't they just let her live with her decision? She thought angrily.

She turned back to the table and realized that they were all watching her.

"You don't understand anything that happened! You don't know anything or how very wrong things were. You act like you want to know but honestly, none of you really do. The crazy part is… that you wouldn't believe me even if I told you the truth. You'd think I was lying; that _I _was the one at fault. That's what you assume now. _Now _that I haven't even told you what really happened!" She looked into all of their eyes then she continued.

"Hypothetically speaking, what would you said if I told you that Harry did cheat on me? Would you believe me? Would you tell me that I'm a bloody liar and that I'm just looking for attention because my life is so _blasted _perfect that I need to cause trouble? Nobody would believe me. Nobody! So, leave it alone. Let it go because whatever happened between the two of us is between us and if I wanted to tell you, I would have!"

Nobody moved or said a thing as they watched her with wide eyes. She closed her eyes, took a deep breath to calm her rapidly beating heart. She knew they wouldn't be able to handle a hypothetical example yet they wanted to hear the truth, know the entire truth. Hah, they couldn't handle it. Merlin was that muggle right when they said, "_You can't handle the truth._"

She bit her lip then to keep herself from breaking into tears. She turned suddenly, grabbed her cloak and ran out the door.

No one said a single thing as she disappeared from the house; not that she expected them to. She was the baby, the only girl. But it was okay, she didn't need them. She didn't need them to understand or know the truth. That's why she had kept it from them and she was once again glad that she had.

And then when she was out of the apparition wards, she apparated away from their stunned silence.

She didn't need them; hell, she didn't need anyone.


	5. Draco Bloody Malfoy

**4. Draco Bloody Malfoy**

"Some things just never change, honestly," Ginny growled as she thought over what had happened at the Burrow. Her mum just didn't understand. The truth was that she never would because she'd never just let it go. Ginny inhaled deeply, closing her eyes as she massaged her temples, fighting off a blinding headache before it began as she made her way up the stairs outside of WWW that led up to her flat; her beautifully secluded flat, she thought blissfully.

As she took step after step, she muttered the incantations to the protective wards and tapped her wand against the lock with a simple "_Alohomora,_" that would only unlock it if the protective wards have been dismantled. As she pushed open the door, she kicked something. She looked down to see her muggle portable CD player. Her eyebrows furrowed as she tried to remember why it was out here and not in her flat where she believed she had left it. Suddenly, a note appeared on top of it. It was a small piece of parchment.

Curious, she picked it up and opened it. It simply read:

_You left this last night ~ D._

Ginny grinned at that. Now, she knew how she had gotten home last night. As soon as she closed it, it burst into flames and she couldn't help but roll her eyes. Always with the damn theatrics, she shook her head; he'd almost singed her hand, that git.

With that, she picked up the CD player, she pushed open her door completely and walked into her flat, slamming the door behind her. She slipped her wand into her messy ponytail and threw her cloak on the sofa.

The flat was the perfect size for one young witch and she loved it exactly the way it was. The living room was off to the left side of the entrance, decorated with mismatched furniture. The dining room was attached with a small rounded table with four chairs. Opposite the dining room was a long but thin kitchen. It had all the muggle appliances which she occasionally used; they came in handy when you couldn't cook. A microwave, another muggle appliance, was definitely a miracle. She didn't know how it exactly worked without magic bit did and it was bloody brilliant.

There was only one bedroom with a master bathroom. Her room was fairly large, with a walk-in closet that contained her trunk from Hogwarts and all her clothes. Her queen-size bed was her favorite thing about her entire flat. It was ridiculously fluffy with red linen sheets. She loved it and she was totally thinking about burying herself deep into that comfortableness right this very second until she heard a rather loud, unwelcome pop and spin angrily at the rude and annoying wizard who just apparated right _into her flat_!

"Ginevra Weasley, are you bloody kidding me? You didn't even put back up your protection wards! Shame on you, shame, shame, shame on you," the husky male voice teased.

Ginny's eyes narrowed dangerously. "What the hell do you think you are doing apparating right into my flat? How dare you!" She spat angrily. "You're lucky I didn't hex the living crap out of you for doing something so horrible!" She hissed.

"What's got your knickers in a twist?" Draco Malfoy asked as he brushed back his silky smooth pale blond hair. He had stopped using that terrible gel once he got out of Hogwarts and now it looked natural, smooth and just soft enough to touch; it begged a witch to run her fingers through the strands.

Draco was still regal, perfect, more like royalty. He held himself with the air of superiority and was still the old pompous git that he'd been during Hogwarts but he wasn't evil. He was sarcastic and a huge goddamn tease but Ginny guessed that was what was so appealing about him; well, not to _her, _of course.

He had a strong, pointed face with fine bone structure. He was very good-looking and he knew it.

Ginny irritably looked him over in his usual ensemble, the onyx black dress shirt and black trousers; he was so prim, perfect, impeccable. She envied his perfection as she looked down at her worn, faded jeans and brown jumper her mum had made for her last Christmas. She bit her lip; him and his bloody flawlessness!

As she watched him, he smirked, his expression one of pure cocky. He knew she was scrutinizing his appearance and he loved it, _loved _the attention.

She was so right when she said some things never changed; so bloody right.

His silvery-gray eyes watched her calmly as she stormed right up to him and grabbed his nice, expensive dress shirt and pulled his impressive five-eleven frame down to her small, pathetic five-three eye level.

"Don't even go thinking about my knickers, you tosser." Her voice was dangerously calm. Her famous Weasley temper was beginning to boil beneath the surface; her eyes blazing.

His eyes widened mockingly then he leaned over and whispered softly, his warm breath brushing against her ear, "I sincerely hope they're black today. You always wear black when you're feeling _naughty_." He teased.

Quickly, without thinking much about it, her wand was in her hand and she was performing her famous Bat-Bogey Hex in the blink of an eye.

Chuckling, Draco just as quickly blocked it and stepped back into safe territory. "Honestly, what is it?" He asked seriously. She shook her head angrily and huffed as she made her way to the kitchen. He looked around, "Gin, put up the goddamn protection wards already." He hissed to her but she ignored him.

She didn't care. It anyone else entered her flat without her permission, she would seriously contemplate performing an unforgivable and she wasn't sure which she'd do first.

Maybe Harry would decided today was a good day to stop by.

That thought had her chuckling to herself. Draco followed her into her kitchen and she handed him a bottle of Ogden's Firewhiskey. He poured it into two cups and handed one over to her then he drank down half in a single sip.

"Tough day as well?" She asked with a smirk that mirrored his.

He nodded, "I was forced to have lunch with mother; you bloody well know she's something else."

Honestly, her friendship with Draco was odd. After the Final Battle where Harry Potter, the-idiotic-boy-she-couldn't-believe-she'd-once-ac tually-loved, defeated Lord Voldemort, things had been rough. No one really knew what to do with themselves even though everything looked as if they were going to calm down. Death Eaters were being snatched up by the newly reformed Ministry of Magic and Aurors. Everything was finally returning to normal. Life had finally started again. Even Hogwarts had been restored and had reopened again that September.

Draco Malfoy, oddly enough, had applied and been accepted into Auror training. Lucius Malfoy had been arrested and sent to Azkaban for good and Narcissa was supposedly living the life back at the Malfoy Manor; free from the psychopath Lucius. One day, back when she was with Harry, she'd overheard Harry telling Ron and Hermione that Draco was in training and that he was the best in the class; speeding rapidly through the three years of training in only months. He would finish and become a full-time Auror in a little less than a year.

And then at the end of her seventh year at Hogwarts, he began working at the WWW's Hogsmeade branch. At first, Ginny had been hesitant to approach him but he seemed different; he was really working for the side of good now even the battle against Voldemort was over but that didn't mean evil was still gone. Well, eventually they got to talking and had started a weird friendship, of sorts.

Then she'd graduated from Hogwarts ang began working at WWW and there was Draco now, who had been reassigned to the Diagon Alley branch. It had been nice and their friendship had gotten better. Now, they both worked part-time at WWW and spent a lot of time together, especially now that Ginny and Harry had broken up. Once when Ginny had asked Draco if he still hated Harry, he'd simply said, "Old grudges are hard to get rid of. He's still a slimy git who didn't realize how bloody lucky he was." He had looked her straight in the eyes then, silvery-gray to brown, and she couldn't stop herself from smiling at those words even now in the present.

"What are you smiling about?" Draco asked, instantly pulling Ginny out of her memories.

"Old times," she explained as she took a long sip of the Firewhiskey and hissed as it burned going down.

"What's wrong, really?" He watched her.

"Family brunch, mum brought up Harry Potter, the-unfaithful-lying-prick, once again. She _never _gives me a break. It's annoying. I just want some peace." She complained as she rubbed her forehead, the massive headache from before fiercely turning into a migraine with a vengeance.

Draco frowned and then patted her gently on the head. She barely reached his shoulders.

"_Accio _knife," she growled as she pointed her wand at the silverware drawer.

"Don't summon a knife, you idiot!" He immediately blocked the knife with a flick of his wand as it raced towards them.

"Don't pat me on the head like I'm some – some – some child!" She huffed furiously at him.

He laughed. He actually had the goddamn _snitches _to laugh at her!

"Oh!" She screamed and began pounding her fists angrily against his hard chest. Sweet Merlin, he was strong. She frowned.

"Hey, hey, cut it out." He snickered, "You're going to hurt yourself." He teased.

"Get out." She muttered as she turned her back on him and headed towards her bedroom.

"Ah, don't be like that. I returned your muggle thing and brought you home safely last night. You were pretty much passed out at that pub last night. Thank Merlin that I go to that pub too and saw you. You could have been in serious trouble, you know, Ginny." He said earnestly and she realized he was right.

"Okay, okay, you're right. I'm sorry." She bit her lip and apologized.

"And you should just tell your family what St. Scar-head did. That'll solve all your problems." He shrugged.

"No way, they wouldn't believe me." She explained with a sigh.

"Or tell your insufferable, idiotic brother." He tried.

"Which one?" She tried but she knew he was talking about Ron. She wanted to, she really wanted to tell him so bad even more so because he was still with Hermione; that backstabbing witch who Harry had cheated on her with. Ginny frowned, biting her lip.

"It'll solve half of your problems anyway, trust me." He shook his head softly.

Ginny rubbed the heel of her hand against her forehead. All this drama was making her migraine worse. "This is too much," she sighed as she pulled her red hair out of the ponytail, trying to ease the pain. She ran a hand through it and sighed again. "I will."

"It's about damn time." He exclaimed.

"Draco, it's only been a month and a half."

"So?" He shrugged. She grinned at that. "That's better," he said as he lifted his hand to pat her head again.

"Draco," she growled and his hand froze inches above her head.

"Oh, you're no fun."

Ginny rolled her eyes. She stepped back into the kitchen to put her cup in the sink. He followed her. She turned quickly, instantly remembering that she needed to feed Artemis; except, when she turned, she bumped into Draco, who was unexpectedly right behind her and having caught him off guard, they both tumbled to the floor; Ginny on top of Draco.

A few seconds later, they were both groaning. At least he kept her from seriously hurting herself, she thought. The same couldn't be said for him.

"What was that for?" Draco hissed as he rubbed his elbow, wincing.

"Sorry," she apologized, rolling off of him and lying back against the floor. Merlin, she hurt.

"You're so clumsy."

"Shut it," she snapped.

"But –" suddenly her front door burst open. They both froze. She'd forgotten to put up the protection wards when she had returned. Draco had told her. Merlin's beard, this was bad.

"GINNY!"

Ginny's eyes widened and she looked quickly at Draco who snorted next to her.

"Speak of the Devil," he muttered. "Alright, I'm off." He leaned over, kissed her cheek and apparated; leaving her all alone with her second unexpected and unwelcome visitor of the day.

Now, which Unforgivable curse would she use first? Ginny wondered as she heard her guest make their way inside.

**Oh crap! Who do you think her unwanted guest is? Hmm... thank you so much for reading. I really appreciate your support 3**


	6. It was Hermione

**5. It Was Hermione**

Bugger, bugger, bugger! She really should've listened to Draco when he warned her about reapplying her wards, Ginny thought angrily as she hid in her kitchen from the intruder in her flat.

"Ginny! Merlin's beard, where the hell are you? I know you're here! The protection wards were off. I don't know why but come out! We need to talk!"

Ginny leaned back against the lower cabinets and hit the heel of her hands against her forehead repeatedly. She couldn't escape.

Cornered in her own bloody flat, Merlin, she was livid.

She sighed loudly, brushed her vivid, red hair out of her face and stood up. "Ronald, that's no way to enter someone's home." She glared at him as he stood in her doorway.

Ron's hair was a little longer than when he had attended Hogwarts and his blue eyes were watching Ginny suspiciously as she made her way out of the kitchen.

"What were you doing down there? And who were you talking to? I heard a voice. A bloke's voice that sounded familiar." His eyes narrowed and he stared at her intensely.

The thing about Ron was that even though he joked around a lot and most of the things he said were complete rubbish, every once in a while he got things right. Excluding completely, the whole Hermione cheating on him with his best mate; Ginny thought bitterly.

"I dropped something and I was looking for it. And the voice was my secret lover who is lying on the floor right here in front of me. Would you like to see him?" She snorted as she grabbed the cat food out of a cabinet and called Artemis over so she could feed her.

Ron walked into the kitchen and cornered her there.

"Was what you said at the Burrow true?"

Straight to the point; he wasn't one to beat around the bush.

Ginny bit her lip. She did _not_ want to have this conversation but Draco was right. Ron had a right to know since he was involved. But she didn't want to tell him everything. Maybe she could simply tell him Harry cheated on her. And when he confronted Harry, she knew that he would, the kneazle would be out of the bag. Harry would tell him it was Hermione and so she wouldn't have to be the one to hurt him _twice_.

Even though she knew she had to tell him, she played stupid; she had to the right thing, yeah, didn't mean she wanted to get started right away.

"I don't know what you're talking about." Ginny leaned down and scooped some cat food into Artemis' bowl. Artemis came running and rubbed against her legs before digging into her dinner.

"I'm not an idiot, Ginny. Tell me the bloody truth for once." He grabbed her around the shoulders and spun her around.

Ginny looked at him worriedly. She had to do it, she knew it but it didn't make her feel any better.

She inhaled deeply and then asked, "About which part?"

"Did Harry cheat on you or were you lying?" Ginny instantly ran a hand through her hair as she looked everywhere but at Ron. "Ginny, answer me." His tone annoyed her. He was demanding an answer.

She felt her temper rising, "Yes! Yes, he cheated on me. Turned out he had been for a few months when I found out. One day I went to his house and I found a blank paper but it smelled. It smelled like _perfume_! It had invisible ink and you'll never guess what was on it? Guess bloody what! It was a love letter!" Ginny hissed.

Ron stared wide-eyed at her. "He cheated on you?" He asked shocked.

"Yes, he did. Harry Potter, the-boy-who-is-a-complete-wanker, cheated on me. So for your information: Harry does _not _love me and _does not _want me back. I'm pretty sure he's secretly happy that we're not together anymore."

"Who?" Ron asked.

"Who, what?" Ginny's eyebrows scrunched with confusion.

"With whom did he cheat on you with?" He took a step closer to her.

"Why –" Ginny started but he cut her off.

"So I can bloody well kill them _both_!" He growled.

Protective older brother Ron finally reared his head but Ginny couldn't help but be slightly pleased. It was nice that Ron believed her, even more so that he was angry about it. The only problem was that he wanted to know who. Now, _that_ was a huge problem.

How do you tell your brother that his girlfriend was cheating on him with his best mate? Ginny rubbed her forehead; it was damn near impossible, she felt. Her heart hurt as she looked into his angry blue eyes.

"Do you know who it is?" Ron's voice was steel.

Ginny opened her mouth then closed it immediately; damn, she didn't want to hurt him. This was another reason why she never wanted to tell him!

"Ginny," he growled.

"Ron, I –" she started to say when the front door to her flat burst open again.

"Bloody hell, doesn't anyone know how to knock!" Ginny cursed.

Both Ginny and Ron then turned to see who had entered the flat and Ginny's temper exploded inside. "Get the hell out of my flat." She hissed.

Hermione Granger stood angrily inside the doorway; her brown bushy hair all over the place as if she had been in a hurry, her wand clenched tightly in her hand and her brown eyes wide with anger, fear and horror.

"Hermione?" Ron frowned as he made his way towards her.

Ginny remained planted in the exact spot she had been. She couldn't believe that Hermione Granger had _dared_ to step foot in her home.

"Get out!" Ginny hissed.

"What are you doing here?" Ron asked, ignoring Ginny.

"I got out of dinner with my family early and went back to the Burrow but your mother told me where you were and what happened." Hermione sounded out of breath. She continued to stare at Ginny aggressively.

"Get out right this bloody second. Don't make me say it again!" Ginny growled, grabbing her wand.

"Stop!" Ron yelled looking between the two of them.

"You told him about Harry?" Hermione ignored Ron and looked at Ginny in shock.

"You knew?" Ron asked in shock and looked at Hermione.

"Of course I knew! It was Harry and I –" She immediately covered her mouth in horror and Ron's eyes widened in alarm, his face turning deathly pale.

"What were you going to say?" He asked; his voice sounding like the calm before the storm.

Hermione took a step back, "Harry and I – Harry told me!" She lied.

"Don't lie to him!" Ginny's blood was boiling inside. She was so incredibly angry and she'd had enough of all the lies.

Spell after spell was on the tip of her tongue.

"Ron, it was Hermione; it was Hermione the whole bloody time." Ginny said venomously and all the memories came rushing back.

* * *

_Ginny had finally decided that she was going to confront Harry about what she discovered a few hours before. She stood from her spot on the floor of her bedroom where she had been since collapsing. She stretched and then magically fixed herself up. Luckily, the house was empty; everyone was working and her mother had gone out to Diagon Alley. Sighing, Ginny looked at herself in the mirror and when she was sure she looked fine, she walked out of the apparition wards around the Burrow, apparated and was on her way to Harry's home in Godric's Hallows once again._

_The first thing she realized when she let herself into his place was that he wasn't home, still; which was odd in itself. He was usually home by this time. Since Harry was an Auror, his home was protected but Ginny knew all of the wards, so she had no trouble getting into inside. _

_As soon as she entered, she planted herself on the couch that was facing the front door and readied herself to wait for Harry to come home._

_So she waited._

_Waited._

_Waited._

_And waited some more._

_She became more and more aggravated while she waited for him. Where in the name of Merlin was he? What was he doing out? He honestly didn't go meet the woman in the letter, did he? He told me he was working late tonight; Ginny glared at the door. _

_She crossed her legs and pulled out her wand, twirling it around her fingers and tapping her foot anxiously._

_Where the bloody hell was he?_

_Two hours later, Ginny heard voices outside the door and she immediately sat up. Hearing more than one voice had her narrowing her eyes dangerously._

_That tosser brought someone home with him! A voice yelled in her mind heatedly. No, no maybe it's just a co-worker, another voice in her head reasoned._

_Ginny watched in horror and disgust as the front door opened slowly to show Harry Potter locked in a passionate kiss with another woman. His hands were wrapped tightly and possessively around her waist; one of the woman's arms hung around his neck, the other playing in the uncontrollable, messy locks of his black hair that Ginny so loved to run her fingers through._

_She could see Harry perfectly, better than she saw him ever, but the woman was shrouded in shadows._

_The pair stumbled inside the house, Ginny's presence still undetected._

_As the door shut, the woman yanked Harry's shirt over his head as he snapped open the buttons on the front of her shirt._

_Ginny stared wide-eyed at the obvious attention of Harry's unfaithfulness right before her very eyes; her heart squeezing painfully in her chest as her anger seemed to rise higher, higher, and higher when Harry's hand then disappeared from view._

_"Oh, Harry," the woman moaned and Ginny's breath caught in her throat._

_No, no bloody way! No. It wasn't possible. She would never… he would never; Ginny's mind screamed even though the evidence was right there in front of her._

_Ginny jumped up from the couch and the couple finally noticed her for the first time. Her heart felt as if it stopped in her chest as the lights in the living room immediately turned on and she could see the woman completely._

_"Ginny!" Harry cried._

_Ginny couldn't move; she stared at the half-naked couple in front of her._

_"Harry - Hermione!"_


	7. How Dare You!

**6. How Dare You!**

Silence filled the flat, broken only by Artemis' light meows and the frantic breaths between the three. Ron's eyes flickered between Hermione and Ginny.

Ginny glared at the other woman, her brown eyes staring into hers; the silence and the tension slipping from Ron, reeled in her temper. She could have easily crossed the room and wringed the woman's neck but thought better of it. Instead, she looked at Ron and frowned at him; he was staring at Hermione as if she'd grown another head in the last few moments. His mouth was open in shock and Ginny wondered if she'd looked similar when she'd found out.

"Tell me it isn't true and don't _even_ think about lying to me!" He yelled suddenly. Hermione flinched at the volume of his voice.

Ginny watched her brother sadly. Honestly, she felt terrible having to be the one to tell him the complete truth behind her break up with Harry; including the hideous truth of his girlfriend and his best friend's infidelity. She could see his heart breaking in front of her and it boosted her anger.

Hermione's brown eyes filled with tears as she stared at Ron but Ginny didn't feel bad for her, not the least bit. Why should she? Hermione put herself in the position, Ginny thought bitterly with a shrug.

"Answer me!" Ron yelled and Hermione nearly jumped out of her skin. Ron stepped in front of her and grabbed her shoulders, shaking her. "Answer me, dammit!"

"Ron – Ron!" Hermione cried. "I – it's…I love you."

Ginny snorted in disbelief and sat on a chair in the dining room, crossing her legs and watching them.

The two ignored her.

"Is it true?" Ron asked as he stopped shaking Hermione. "It's true, isn't it?"

"Yes," Hermione whispered in response; she was looking down at her feet, her hands clinging to the bottom of her jumper.

"Bastard, that _bloody_ bastard, I'll kill him!" Ron growled; his face a bright red. His eyes burned. He looked at Hermione once more and then apparated instantly. Ginny's eyes widened; oh boy, she thought, there goes trouble.

Hermione watched in horror as he disappeared. "Where – where – where is he going?" She cried out, looking around the living room.

"To Harry's, I'm sure." Ginny said from her seat.

Hermione's eyes shot towards Ginny as if she'd forgotten she was there.

Ginny closed her eyes, forcing herself to relax. "Now get your arse out," Ginny said levelly even though inside her blood was boiling dangerously; she'd held her temper for long enough. She'd let Ron have his moment and now, she was dangerously close to doing something bad… or good.

"You!" Hermione yelled furiously, her wand in her hand instantly and aimed it at Ginny.

The thing about Hermione was that she was a genius, the smartest witch of their age. She had mastered non-verbal spells long ago and when Ginny saw her swish her wand, she knew instantly what Hermione was trying to do.

"_Protego_!" Ginny yelled, jumping to her feet and deflecting Hermione's spell.

Hermione's eyes narrowed, "HOW DARE YOU! YOU HAD NO RIGHT TO TELL HIM!"

Ginny stared at the woman in front of her in complete shock. She couldn't believe what she was hearing. She couldn't believe that Hermione actually believed the things she was saying.

"No right?" She inched towards her the woman, her heart pounding in her chest. "I had no right? How dare _you_! Ron is _my_ brother; Harry was _my_ boyfriend and _his_ best friend! YOU were _my_ best friend! HOW DARE YOU! What kind of person are _you_ that you would do something like that to the both of us! I can't believe _you_!" She spat, poking the edge of her own wand against Hermione's chest.

Hermione's mouth opened but Ginny wasn't done, "How dare you do that to _us_! _We_ are the victims here, not _you_! Don't believe even for a bloody second that we would feel _sorry_ for you! This is your fault. Yours _and_ Harry's; not ours! Now, get out of my flat. _Now_!" Ginny was breathing deeply when she finished.

Merlin, forgive her but the unforgivable curses were on the tip of her tongue; just begging her to use one, just one!

The Cruciatus would show Hermione how much Ron and her were hurting inside.

The Imperius would force Hermione out of her flat.

And possibly, the Killing Curse, so Ginny would never, _ever_ have to see her unfaithful, two-faced ex-best friend again.

Would it really be worth it, though, going to Azkaban because of Hermione? A voice inside of her asked.

_Right now, it's almost worth it_. Another part whispered back.

Hermione stayed standing, staring murderously at Ginny as she fought internally against her conscious that was begging, _begging_ to use the unforgivable curses on the woman in front of her.

"I said get out! So get _out_!" Ginny yelled.

Hermione stayed, continuing to glare and just like that, Ginny _really _had enough.

"_Depulso_!" Ginny yelled as she pointed her wand at Hermione, banishing her from the flat.

The dark haired woman flew backwards out of the flat, banging painfully into the railing of the stairs. Ginny walked to her hunched over body and looked down at her; her dark eyes filled with magic.

"Don't ever come back here, you hear me? If you do, so help me Merlin, you'll regret it." Ginny hissed and then slammed the door in her face.

* * *

Ginny stood, eyes closed as she leaned back against the door breathing loudly. She couldn't believe that things had turned out like this. She never wanted it to be like this; never wanted to hurt her brother like this.

Ron finally knew the truth and that was both good _and_ bad.

Knowing Ron, the entire Wizarding World would know in two point five seconds. Ginny looked at her fireplace and then the muggle telephone. She wondered how long it would be before she'd receive an owl from her Dad informing her than Ron had been arrested and was being escorted to Azkaban for murdering The-Boy-Who-Lived.

The situation was a complete and total nightmare.

Ginny tried to feel bad that now Harry would have not five but six men after him. Not only her older brothers: Bill, Charlie, Percy, George and Ron but also her Dad. She was sure that her Dad would take this information like a personal slap in the face; but that was what it was, wasn't it? A slap in the face to all of them, Ginny especially; just like that, she felt absolutely no remorse for the man.

Harry Potter was definitely a dead man, no longer The-Boy-Who-Lived but The-Boy-Who-Is-Now-Buried-Six-Feet-Underground. Merlin, she could only hope, right?

But Harry deserved it anyway. That's what someone got for messing with the little "Weaslette" of the bunch.

Sighing, she opened her eyes as she pushed herself away from the door and made her way to the kitchen. She stopped halfway and turned towards the door remembering what had just occurred. She'd almost forgotten.

She immediately started to put the protection wards up. All she needed now was for Harry Potter to come over or worse, her _mother_.

Once finished with the wards, Ginny went straight for her bed but paused as she saw the open door to her bathroom. Her bed looked so inviting but she knew exactly what she needed right that very second: a great, big, warm, bubbly bath.

With that, Ginny quickly fixed herself a bath filled to the rim with warm bubbly water and as she slid in she realized that she needed just one more thing. With the swish of her wand, she leaned back against the tub and held out her hand.

Instantly, her CD player came flying into the bathroom and she caught it. With a huge smile, she slipped the headphones over her ears and pressed play.

"_I want you to know, that I'm happy for you…_" she closed her eyes and lost herself in the angst of the muggle music genius, Alanis Morissette.


	8. Untrustworthy and Late Employees

**7. Untrustworthy and Late Employees**

Seven thirty in the morning was there before Ginny knew it; her alarm clock screaming for her to get the hell up already. It sounded a lot like her mother; she must have spelled it to mimic her voice, Ginny realized as she picked it up and threw it across her bedroom where it shattered into pieces. Honestly, she didn't give a damn if it couldn't be fixed. The thing was a bloody nightmare. She fell back down into bed and closed her eyes, sighing happily in her nice, comfy, lush bed.

She began to dream she was in the World Championship quidditch match. She was the star chaser for the Holyhead Harpies. The quaffle was her hands, she dodged a player from the opposing team then another and she was alone with the Keeper; only the two of them. She faked to the outer right ring, the keeper shot to his left and then she shot at the left post and it – _BANG! BANG! BANG!_

A loud pounding noise yanked her out of her blissfully, exciting dream.

Ginny opened one angry brown eye and cursed whoever was pounding painfully loud on her door.

She closed her eyes, deciding to ignore the knocking, and forced herself to go back to sleep but the pounding only got louder.

"Bugger off!" she growled but the knocking continued. "For the love of Merlin, go away!"

"Open the door already!" A male voice shouted.

Groaning, she rolled out of bed and made her way to the door. She threw open the door, wand in hand, ready to hex the annoying git.

George Weasley was standing at her front door dressed in his magenta colored uniform of Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes. He frowned at her.

"I hope that's not what you're wearing to work."

Ginny looked down at her nightwear of a pair of one of her brother's old shorts and her dad's old t-shirt.

"Work? But I'm not scheduled to work today." she rubbed her eyes. She was tired.

"Malfoy's coming late, so I need you to come in." he explained, pushing her out of the way and making his way to her kitchen.

"And what are you doing?"

"Making sure you don't go back to bed." he stood in front of her and pulled out his wand. "_Accio_ Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes uniform!" He called out, pointing his wand at her room.

Her uniform flew from the room, and she groaned as she caught them.

"But…but it's my day off." She pouted as he pushed her towards her bedroom to change.

"Change now or I'll do it for you. _Magically_," he demanded.

Ginny cringed.

She shot him a glare and slammed the door behind her. She decided to jump in the shower before getting dressed. As she got into the shower she couldn't stop herself from thinking about how much George had changed after the Final Battle and the death of his twin, Fred. His personality had changed but he was still mostly the same. He was more serious and he always tried to live more since his other half wasn't able to.

But to Ginny, George always seemed sad even though he tried to hide it from everyone. She could see it in his eyes; his eyes that were so much like hers and their mother's. And Ginny especially hated that faraway look he got sometimes as if he was remembering the past when it had been both him and Fred together. It tore at her heart.

It had only been about a year and a half since the Final Battle but without Fred around, it seemed like a lifetime. The months after his death, George was like a hollow, broken man. She cried for herself, for her family but most of all, for George; George, who was now alone without his twin. It was the hardest thing to see him there without Fred. Even now Ginny would sometimes catch herself waiting for Fred to walk into the room right after George. It was so odd, to see George alone but that's how it was.

Ginny stretched as she got out of the shower and mentally shook herself. It was way too damn early to be sinking into such depressing memories.

"Hurry up!" George called from the living room and Ginny huffed impatiently. She threw on her clothes. The hideous magenta clashed horribly with her bright hair but she simply shrugged and walked out to where her brother was waiting.

George was sitting on her couch skimming through a muggle book she was currently in the process of reading. It had been a gift from Hermione when they had been friends. Ginny liked the book so much that she just couldn't bring herself to toss it out. This was probably about the third or fourth time she's read it. It was a cheesy, historical romance with an x-rated picture of a woman and a man together on a bed on the cover.

"How can you read this rubbish?" George asked as Ginny grabbed the book out of his hands and put it back on the side table.

"It isn't rubbish." she replied, "Anyways, let's go. It's almost eight, right?" She asked and George looked at his watch.

He nodded and they made their way outside where she put up the protection wards; not ever postponing the act again. All she need was to come home and a bunch of Blast-Ended Skrewts in her apartment or maybe just her family. She didn't know which was worse.

They entered the shop. It was empty since it hadn't opened for the day, and Ginny sighed. She wished she was still sleeping.

WWW hadn't changed much since it opened the summer before her fifth year at Hogwarts. She had started working there to help George with the shop after the employees they had before left. The only other person who worked there now besides her was Draco Malfoy. It was strange for a while seeing him working in there because of the hatred that existed between the Malfoys and the Weasleys but since Lucius Malfoy was packed away in Azkaban for the rest of his useless life, the rivalry had almost all-together disappeared. The only ones who pretty much kept to it were Ron, Harry and Hermione but Ginny didn't think that would ever really go away. Personally, she was okay working with him.

Draco was definitely some good eye-candy, though she'd never tell him that. He'd never leave her alone after that.

Ginny moved some things around, cleaned a bit and before she knew it, the shop was opened and costumers of all ages filled in.

A group of teenagers were buying Extendable Ears, Fever Fudge, Fainting Fancy and Canary Creams. A man who worked for the Ministry bought a dozen Decoy Detonators. A woman bought a Reusable Hangman for her children and two adolescent girls bought, when no one was looking, Guaranteed Ten-Second Pimple Vanisher.

By midday, the Extendable Ears and Fainting Fancy were sold out but luckily a new order was coming in, in about half an hour.

"George, George!" Ginny yelled as the tenth costumer pulled her aside to ask about the Extendable Ears.

He popped his head from behind the curtain that hid the expensive items and the back room, "What?"

"Someone asked for the Extendable Ears, again." Ginny was seriously losing her patience. She was mad. Where was Draco? She wondered.

"They just arrived. Come back here and go through the boxes. I'll work up front."

They switched and Ginny froze when she saw the amount of boxes she had to go through. "What the hell are these?" She hissed.

George looked back. "The boxes," as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"Yes, I got that but why are there so many bloody boxes?"

"We're restocking before the holidays." he shrugged.

"I didn't approve this." her eyes narrowed as she looked at her brother.

"But I did," a deep, husky voice whispered in her ear.

She jumped and turned quickly to see Draco grinning down at her.

"Where have you been? It's my day off, you tosser!" she growled.

"Dinner with some old acquaintances," he said and Ginny couldn't help but wonder if he was actually with some woman from the night before, "then I went to pick up this order."

Her anger deflated as she continued to look at him. He was dressed in a pair of blank trousers and gray buttoned shirt. No tie. Draco was the only one who got away with not wearing the uniform when Ginny was the owner's sister. She still had to wear that nasty, hideous uniform that wasn't flattering in the least.

"What's wrong?" Draco asked.

"I hate you. I could be sleeping right now. I had a rotten day yesterday." she complained as she saw George head to the front of the shop. She turned her back to Draco and magically opened the boxes then sorted them into different piles for the different merchandise.

"You told him?" he sounded shocked.

Ginny didn't understand why since he was the one who suggested she tell him in the first place.

"Yes I told him and Hermione showed up. Then he ran off and I banished her from my apartment. I was this close," she held up an inch between her fingers, "to hexing her into next week. Blimey, I even came close to performing an Unforgivable and then you'd have to take me away, you big bad Auror." She teased.

"I wouldn't take you in for that," he snorted, "not for hexing that mud – eh, woman." he corrected himself.

Even though Ginny hated Hermione greatly, she still didn't like when Draco used the word Mudblood. They'd had some pretty huge fights over him using it. But she understood that old habits were hard to drop and he really did try.

She sighed and let it go.

Suddenly Draco's hands were around her waist, pulling her against him. The second they touched, she felt as if she'd been electrocuted and she shivered. His chest was hard against her back. She sucked in her breath, shocked by how much she liked be against him.

When she realized what she was thinking, she threw back her elbow but he caught it and chuckled as he pushed her away from him. She turned around, her body trembling with anger.

"What the hell was that for?" she growled.

He grinned widely at her. "You sighed so sadly. I just thought you needed a hug."

Ginny pushed him roughly except the damn bloody git didn't even move.

"Er – what was that?" He asked. His laughter barely concealed.

"Go to Hell." Ginny made her way around him and checked the time. It was barely one in the afternoon. She looked at Draco who was moving around some of the merchandise.

Now that Draco was there, she could leave. She was free. She wanted to run away. Maybe she could plan a quick vacation because Merlin only knew what was waiting for her back in her apartment.

She looked at Draco again and she decided that she would go to Hogwarts and see Madame Hooch about that teaching position for the flying class. She'd quit this job, runaway from her family and life would be beautiful.

"That look is dangerous, Gin." Draco's voice pulled her out of her plan to escape.

"What do you mean?" she watched him then took a step back as he approached her. She felt like his prey. She didn't like that feeling one bit. She backed up until she felt the curtain separating the store and the backroom.

"That look is dangerous. Were you plotting something?" he asked, his silvery-gray eyes glittering mysteriously.

"No – no way." she replied too quickly.

He smirked. "Were you plotting ways to get me into your bed? All you'd have to do is ask, Ginny." He whispered seductively.

She eyes widened and she flushed bright red.

And Draco Malfoy burst into laughter.

"Your expression was priceless." He cracked up.

He'd been teasing her again.

"Who is Ginny plotting to get in bed with her?" A male voice asked from behind the curtain.

"Nobody, Neville." she replied, recognizing his voice.

Neville Longbottom had been Ginny's best friend for a while along with Luna Lovegood. And when she pulled back the curtain, she found both of her best friends standing there looking at her. Well, Neville's brown eyes were watching her. Luna like always was looking off, her protuberant silvery-gray eyes giving her a dreamy look. Today her dirty-blonde waist-length, straggly hair was pulled halfway up and her wand was sticking out in the semi-bun. Merlin only knew how many times people had warned her not to put it there.

"Wrackspurts were probably flying in his brain so he muttered something mad." Luna explained as she stared at a green blob on a table.

Ginny, Draco and Neville all looked at Luna oddly. They knew Draco was just teasing her but they didn't disagree with Luna. It was pointless to disagree with her, honestly.

"Whatever you say, Luna," Neville chuckled as he brushed back his blondish-brown hair out of his eyes.

Draco looked at Ginny strangely and then shook his head, laughing to himself.

"Anyway, we went by your apartment. We thought you didn't work today." Neville added.

"I wasn't supposed to but it seems that WWW lacks trustworthy and prompt employees." Ginny explained.

Draco snorted behind her as George called him over to the front of the shop.

"I thought he'd never leave." Ginny sighed.

"Is that right?" Neville watched her with a small smile on his face.

"Stop it. Let's go. I'm so hungry I could eat a hippogriff." she complained, rubbing her empty stomach.

"Hippogriffs aren't good food." Luna added absent-minded.

"Thank you, Merlin, we're not eating that!" Neville exclaimed.


	9. Merlin can be so Cruel

**8. Merlin can be so Cruel**

Neville watched Ginny as he held open the door for her and Luna. He noticed how stressed and tired she looked, almost as if she was out of sorts; more so than usual with the things she had been going through with the whole Harry fiasco.

Neville still couldn't believe what Harry and Hermione had done. They both had been in stable relationships, or so the public saw. Neville and Luna had always known that things weren't exactly perfect between Ginny and Harry. There was always that space between the two of them. They could never meet halfway. It always seemed as if Ginny was always doing all the work and Harry was just being dragged along for the ride. Neville was glad that things had ended between them even though Ginny had been hurt. He just couldn't help but feel slightly happy that now Ginny would be able to find someone who met her halfway and loved her just as much as she loved him.

The group exited WWW, walking through the shop out to the street.

"Tossers, the both of them," Ginny growled as she pulled her flaming hair into a messy bun and slipped her wand through to keep it in place. "Why do I have to work with a bunch of ungrateful gits?"

"You shouldn't stress too much." Luna replied as her eyes roamed freely.

"I can't help it! George wakes me up on my day off just because Draco Malfoy can't make it to work on time. How is that fair?" she complained.

Neville followed the two silently. As he trailed behind his two female companions, he couldn't help notice how the two attracted so much attention. Not that either of them noticed. Besides the fact that both of their hair colors stood out, the two women we're noticeably attractive. Even though Luna was spacey, people couldn't deny that she was a looker. Ginny on the other hand, just refused to believe that she was attractive like that. Yes, she had a boyfriend for over a year and yes, she got attention but she believed it was because she dated Harry Potter and she was the only female Weasley for generations. But Neville knew different and he was sure Draco Malfoy did as well.

He slid into a booth, Ginny and Luna following suit.

Ginny sighed loudly as he waved Tom, the landlord of the Leaky Cauldron. As he began to take orders, he could feel Ginny watching him. He knew he was being uncharacteristically quiet but he couldn't help it. His was worried about her.

He wondered how long she could go before bringing up what was on her mind and sure enough, after Tom slipped away to gather their orders, she pounced.

"Why are you so quiet?" she looked at him suspiciously.

"No reason." he lied.

Luna's gaze darted around the Leaky Cauldron and Neville though she drifted off into her own world when she unexpectedly spoke, "He's worried about you. You seem oddly… distracted, strained and anxious today. Why is that?"

Neville watched her close up in the blink of an eye. She obviously didn't want to talk about it but he realized the moment when she decided to talk. Her shoulders relaxed. She exhaled slowly. A small wrinkled appeared between her eyebrows.

"_Honestly, _yesterday was an absolute nightmare." she groaned, her head dropping down to the table, slightly shaking the three Butterbeers that Tom had just brought over.

"Why don't you tell us what happened?" He tried to soothe the tension she was feeling.

She sat up, took a sip of her Butterbeer and spilled everything that had happened from when she left her flat that afternoon and headed to the Burrow up to when she banished Hermione from her flat angrily.

"You _banished _her?" his eyebrows rose.

"Now that explains the feeling I've been getting from you." Luna nodded as she tapped her index finger again her chin. She smiled at Ginny sadly.

"Ginny," Neville sighed. "Now, as an Auror myself, I have to tell you that the Unforgivable curses are… well, unforgivable. You remember what happened with my parents and when Snape was headmaster." he lectured.

She rolled her eyes. He could just hear what she was thinking: _Leave it to Neville to truly get on my case about what's right and what's wrong._

He grinned.

"Neville, Neville, leave her be." Luna chastised him.

"I'm only saying –" he started to say but Ginny cut him off.

"I didn't do it, Neville. So there's no reason to go into Auror mode." she teased as she took a sip of her Butterbeer.

The food arrived then and all talk about Harry and Hermione was pushed to the back.

* * *

They finished half an hour later and decided to head out to get ice cream at Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlour. He hadn't been in months; too busy with work and life to enjoy the desert.

As they were leaving the Leaky Cauldron and making their way to the back room where the entrance to Diagon Alley was, when they realized that there was someone just opening it.

They didn't get a look at the person but followed them through the entrance and were immediately bombarded with flashes and questions. Shocked, Ginny covered her eyes and tried to hide behind Neville. She couldn't understand why these blasted reporters were her now. She and Harry were over so why, _why _would they attack her when she was alone? They'd left her alone pretty much.

Dozens of voices flooded her ears; she couldn't understand what they were saying. Yelling, screaming, trying to ask millions of questions at once. She covered her ears trying to block out the loud noise until finally she could catch some of the questions being asked and she froze; froze because Merlin really couldn't be so cruel, could he?

"Are you back together?"

"Harry Potter, Harry Potter! Are you thinking of taking the position of Minister of Magic from Kingsley Shacklebolt?"

"Are the two of you going to get married? The youngest Weasley marrying _the_ Harry Potter?"

"Harry Potter, sir! Harry Potter! What do you have to say?"

Question after question shot towards them but all Ginny seemed about to do was turn towards the other person.

Harry Potter.

And Ginny finally knew that yes, _yes, _Merlin could truly be that cruel.


	10. Playing the Audience

**9. Playing the Audience**

Harry Potter, the-Boy-Who-Was-Now-Going-to-Die, stood right in front of her; his emerald green eyes staring worriedly into her own. Instead of feeling the excitement and nervousness she'd usually feel inside; now, oh _now_, all she felt immense anger.

Body consuming fury.

The reporters from the Daily Prophet and Witches Weekly continued to hammer them with questions, over and over. The same mundane questions and Ginny was slowly but surely being overtaken by her overpowering emotions.

Harry's hair was messier and a tad bit longer than she remembered; he also seemed more haggard and worn out then before. He looked like a downright mess.

"Ginny," Harry took a step towards her and she took a step back.

"Get away from me." she whispered back.

Truly, Ginny was torn inside. She was so upset and hurt but also angry, deathly and unforgivably angry. And the longer she stood there, those emotions were battling inside her, one trying to reach the top and overpower her common sense.

He'd be lucky if it was only the former.

He took another step towards her, his arms reaching out to her and she retreated again. Merlin, if he touched her…

"Ginny, love, I'm sorry. Please – please." he whispered to her.

"Go away, Harry." she whispered back.

"Ginny, please, just listen to me. I'm begging you."

Neville stepped in front of Harry and looked into his eyes.

"Leave, Harry. This is no place to have this discussion." Neville said forcefully.

Luna walked around the two and came up to Ginny. She grabbed Ginny's hand and Ginny squeezed it tightly.

"Don't worry," Luna whispered in Ginny's ear and Ginny was able to relax a little bit.

"But Neville – Neville I _need_ her!" Harry cried.

Ginny's eyes widened at his words. What a load of pixie dung, she thought angrily.

"Harry, go away." Luna's voice was deeper.

The blond girl was angry and everyone was shocked by her tone towards Harry Potter, who was a friend back at their Hogwarts days.

"I need her! I need you, Ginny!" Harry explained.

Ginny then looked into his eyes again and she saw the truth. This remorse and helplessness he was showing to the public, to the reporters, was all an _act_.

Harry Potter was playing the audience like a cheap muggle television show.

And with that, the anger inside of her overtook the other emotions, triumphing and rose to the top. The anger consumed her common sense and now only Merlin knew what Ginny would do.

* * *

Draco Malfoy left Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes later than usual. He had arrived late and needed to make up hours; not that he needed the money, really. The costumers were all gone and now he was finally free. He enjoyed working there but he preferred his other job to this one. He only went to work every day because of a certain fiery redhead.

"Goodnight, Draco." George called out.

"Night," he called back.

Stretched as the door shut behind him, he grinned. As he turned the corner, he saw a huge crowd by the entrance to Diagon Alley. Since he was an Auror, he knew he _should_ head over and try to stop whatever was going on over there but he was curious to see what the uproar was about.

He yawned as he made his way towards the crowd. He just wanted this to be over so he could get to his office, he was sure he had a new assignment. He wanted to get that done and then go home to the blissfully empty Malfoy Manor.

A nice, quiet night by himself was just what he needed.

Draco knew people believed that he was always with a different girl; usually he did but not lately. Lately his mind has been consumed by Ginny Weasley and he couldn't do a bloody thing about it. But he would fight it, like death, he would fight this _thing_.

He couldn't…

They couldn't...

Maybe he _should_ take that blonde beauty that had left her floo address with the money she had paid for the WonderWitch product line. The woman was young and looked as if she had good stamina. One entire night of shagging would definitely take his mind of that redheaded minx; Draco thought, running his fingers through his hair as he heard the heightening voices of an argument within the crowd by the entrance to Diagon Alley from the Leaky Cauldron.

A lot of flashes filled the area followed by a lot of voices screaming questions that he couldn't hear over the noise. As he edged closer he saw the top of Neville Longbottom's head. Then Draco heard _his_ voice loud and clear above all the others.

"I need her! I need you, Ginny!"

Draco's eyes narrowed dangerously as he heard that man's voice and then the words connected to his brain.

Harry Potter was there.

Harry Potter was talking to Ginny.

And Harry Potter was _lying_ in front of all those people.

Draco growled furiously as he pushed people out of his way. As he rushed forward and finally pushed the last person, he smirked at the sight in front of him.

There she was, his redheaded minx, chocolate brown eyes wide in anger and wand extended towards Potter's scar-headed forehead. When he took a step forward he heard her mutter "_Muffliato_!"

An unidentifiable buzzing clouded his hearing but he watched Ginny's lips as she spoke to Harry Potter alone.

_"How dare you! Don't try that pity act right here, right now! You know why I broke up with you. You know why I left you. All because you couldn't keep your hands off of another woman. You were unfaithful. You are the reason we broke up! I may have said the words but you did the act that set that occurrence in motion. So don't you dare, not even for a moment, play that 'I'm innocent and I'll do anything to get you back' because I promise you, Harry Potter, that those will be the last words you ever say."_

Harry flinched under Ginny's words.

_"Yes, okay, that was all an act. I have someone better than you. I don't need you anymore. I haven't for a long time, Ginny. And don't tell Ron, he's my best mate and if someone is going to tell him, it should be me. Not that I will… why would I want him to kill me."_

Ginny's eyes narrowed dangerously and that's when Draco knew that it was time for her to go. Yes, Harry was a bastard and an idiot but Ginny couldn't publically hex, curse or kill him. She'd go away for a long time and Draco couldn't have that. She was a great friend of his. He'd do the same for Blaise or Pansy, of course.

_"He already knows, you good-for-nothing slimy git!"_ Ginny informed him.

Harry paled visibly and Draco intervened.

"Remove the spell, Ginny." Draco said over the buzzing in his ears.

Her eyes immediately jumped to Draco's face and he noticed her relax a bit. She sighed then muttered the counter-spell.

He smirked when the buzzing disappeared followed by the angry voices of the mob of reporters.

"How dare you –"

"What kind of –"

"You can't just treat –"

Draco looked at both Neville and Luna and whispered only for their ears, "Ginny's flat," then wrapped his arms around her. Before they side-apparated, he felt her sigh, lean into him and wrap her arms around his waist.


	11. Amen

**10. Amen**

Ginny decided to blame all the day's misfortune on Merlin; Merlin was definitely, most definitely, the cruelest being ever to exist. She believed that he had something out for her, something seriously horrible, of course; there was no other way to explain it all.

She leaned back against her couch as she heard both Luna and Neville arguing about "the stupidity of reporters to believe a mouthful of crazy lies" as they rummaged through her kitchen; looking for what, she had no idea. She inhaled, running her hands through her hair and closed her eyes.

Her life was _never_ simple. She couldn't just have a peaceful and easy life. _No_, she had to have an unfaithful, famous _ex_-boyfriend and a lying, backstabbing _ex_-best friend.

Life just was _not_ fair to her.

She bit her lip sadly as she watched Draco Malfoy walk towards her and sit beside her on the couch.

"Good thing I saw you." he frowned at her troubled expression.

"Good thing really, you guys almost had to come visit me in Azkaban." she sighed.

Draco smirked, "If there hadn't been so many witnesses, I would have helped. Potter still gets under my skin."

"He's such a liar." Ginny said darkly.

"Yes, he is," he agreed as he patted her leg softly then inhaled, exhaled loudly and stood up, "You know what? I know just what'll make you feel better!"

She eyed him suspiciously and in the corner of her eye, she noticed Luna and Neville both come out of the kitchen most likely curious to see what Draco was talking about.

"Sex is not the answer, Draco." Ginny reprimanded him jokingly.

"Well, there goes _that_ idea," he sighed and then sat back on the couch.

"Are you serious?" Ginny jumped up. "That was your solution to making me feel better?"

"You've obviously never had sex before." he mumbled and crossed his arms.

"You _are_ serious!" She stared at him in shock.

"No, I'm not serious. Do you honestly believe that sex is my answer to everything?" he asked, a pout on his lips.

Ginny stared at him; she couldn't drop the fact that he looked so _bloody_ adorable when he pouted. Damn, Draco was getting into her head and he needed to get out.

"Is it really that hard to answer? Dammit, Ginny! Really?" he jumped up and stared down at her. She stood up to him with her hands on her hips.

"Yes, yes it _is_ that hard to answer!" She hissed.

"Fine, forget it." he walked to her fireplace. She watched him.

He muttered something and then her fireplace roared to life, opening her floo system. She gasped as Draco stepped into the fire, whispered a name and then disappeared.

Ginny stared at her empty fireplace in surprise. He left because she had offended him.

"Good job, you grump." She closed her eyes and dropped back onto the couch.

She sighed and rubbed her temples. She was getting a headache.

It's all Harry's fault.

* * *

"Blaise, Pansy, come to my house now." Draco called into the fireplace at his home back at Malfoy Manor. He paced excitedly in front of his fireplace as he waited for his other best friends to arrive. He'd stayed in touch with the two after the Final Battle at Hogwarts.

The fireplace roared to life and a tall, thin black man stepped out of the fireplace. The man smiled widely at Draco. He had high cheekbones and long, slanting eyes. His dark eyes shined as he smiled. He was dressed impeccably well with black dress pants and a silvery-grayish dress shirt; the black tie loose around his neck.

Draco smirked at him and reached out to shake his hand when the man pulled him into a bone crushing hug.

"Blaise, mate, I can't breathe." Draco chocked out.

"Draco! How have you been? I haven't seen you in…" Blaise ignored him.

"A week, now let go!" Draco growled.

Blaise was tall at a little over six feet, which made him taller than Draco.

"I really hope this is something serious because I've just met the man of my dreams, Draco!" Blaise hissed, hands on his hips.

Blaise Zabini was fully out of the broom closet. All the Slytherins had known but Blaise hadn't until recently when he met a man. The two had dated for a while but then Blaise had called it off. Everyone had figured it had been a phase but Blaise loved being gay. And it fit him. He was happy.

Oddly enough, Draco was jealous. No, not that he wanted Blaise but because he was happy and Draco…well, Draco was used to getting everything he ever wanted and now the one thing he wanted _immensely_ he couldn't have.

Life was a cruel bastard.

"Draco, darling, please make this quick. I was occupied." Pansy Parkinson's voice broke Draco out of his thoughts. He hadn't even heard her arrive.

Draco turned to look at Pansy. She was tall, thin and elegant. Everything he _should_ want but didn't. Actually, for a while, before Lucius had ended up in Azkaban, Pansy and Draco had been engaged; yes, an arranged marriage. The Malfoy and Parkinson families had been close for centuries. And they were also two of the purest pureblood families since the beginning of time.

Pansy huffed as she brushed soot off of her expensive green sundress. Her black hair was styled graceful in a French twist and her dark eyes lined with makeup.

Draco and Pansy had called off the engagement as soon as Lucius was hiked off to Azkaban. He didn't want it and neither did Pansy even though when they were children, she'd been completely smitten with him. After the split, they stayed friends of course. Not that there had been any romantic feelings between the two.

Draco looked at his two closest friends and grinned. They'd changed so much in the last year and a half. Blaise and Pansy both had grown up; well, truthfully, they all had. After Voldemort's defeat, his true followers were collected and the others had to prove their allegiance was forced. Which for some, it was; Draco's included. Even though his father was scum, he was still family. He didn't want to his parents to die and in order to protect them, he'd been forced to do things he didn't want.

But that was neither here nor there.

Things changed and now he was in control of his life.

"Draaaaaaco," Pansy waved her hand in front of his face. "Please, tell us! I don't have all day." she whined.

Draco's eyes narrowed at her. "Patience, Pansy."

She huffed in annoyance and rolled her eyes. "Yes, Lord of all the Magical World." she bowed mockingly.

"Yes, Master Draco, do tell." Blaise bowed as well, going along with Pansy's playful act.

Draco ran a hand through his hair. He had no idea.

"Well, something happened today and I need advice." he cringed. He hated asking for help.

"You got a witch pregnant? Draco! They have spells and potions for that!" Pansy cried.

"Ginny's pregnant?" Blaise perked up.

"Ginny?" Pansy's eyes widened comically, "Ginny _Weasley_?"

"Yeah, the littlest weasel. Draco fancies her." Blaise nodded towards Draco.

"I do _not_ fancy her!" Draco spat.

"Well that's good." Pansy sighed, "I heard she's in serious trouble with the Ministry of Magic for hexing Scar head."

"She didn't hex Potter." Draco defended her.

"I heard that too!" Blaise exclaimed.

"Ginny _didn't _hex that bloody git." Draco growled.

"How do you know?" Blaise asked, watching him intensely.

"Because I was there." he stuffed his hands in his pocket. "She almost hexed Potter in front of everyone. And no, Ginny Weasley is _not_ pregnant. I haven't slept with her. I haven't even snogged her, for Merlin's sake!"

"Then what the hell do you want? I had Cristiano waiting for me at my house!" Blaise hissed.

_Cristiano_, too much information; Draco's mind cried.

"Who cares about your _Cristiano_?" Pansy complained to Blaise, "I was this close – this _bloody_ close – to securing a husband to finance my every whim! Sweet Merlin, Draco. What do you want?" she said, glaring at Draco.

"Forget it, go back to you perfect lives." he turned his back and disappeared.

"Draaaaaaco!" Both Pansy and Blaise cried.

"Come back." Pansy sighed.

"I really hate it when you pull that disappearing act. Just because you can do that, doesn't mean you should abuse it." Blaise grumbled.

"Abuse it? Please, if I could do that, I would do it all the time." Pansy sniggered.

Draco rolled his eyes as he sat on the couch behind them. They hadn't realized that he had returned.

Along with his side job at WWW, he worked for the Ministry as an Auror. But he also had a special skill, a special skill that only a few other people knew about. He had found out, during his Auror training that he was remarkably fast. There were no spells or potions behind it; he was just very fast. With that, he had been offered a job; a job that he loved so damn much it wasn't even funny.

But again, now was not the time to be thinking about _that_.

"Okay, fine, I'll tell you." he gave in.

Both Blaise and Pansy spun around quickly; shocked that he had been behind them the entire time.

Pansy's hand shot to her heart as she gasped, "For Merlin's sake, jingle something when you move! You almost gave me a heart attack!"

He snorted as he crossed his legs on his mother's expensive coffee table that no one ever used.

"Now Draco, tell us." Blaise frowned at him.

"I need to make Ginny feel better because Potter is such a git. But I have no idea what to do."

"I know just the thing! I'm surprised you didn't think of it." Blaise immediately said, clapping his hands in surprise.

"Sex is not the answer," Draco repeated Ginny's words.

"Damn, that sucks, mate." Blaise responded mournfully.

"I know, tell me about it. That's exactly what I said." he chuckled.

"Is that all you think about, you lecher?" Pansy stared between them in shock.

"No, it's not." he growled.

"I know what you can do!" Blaise jumped in. "Buy her a gift; gifts always work."

"Where did you hear that? From your mother?" Pansy shook her head in disbelief.

"Just because she married seven times doesn't mean she's wrong." Blaise frowned at her.

"Just keep her company, Draco. I'm sure she's feeling pretty down that Potter was such an arse to her. She needs friends. Obviously, not a _lover _or a _gift_." she looked at her two best friends in disgust.

"I can do that. Yes, I can do that. Okay, now get out. I'm heading over to her place and Mother isn't home now."

"Wow." Blaise snorted. "Your mother would be appalled at your manners."

"Why don't you come with me then? Longbottom and Lovegood are there." Draco said as he ran his fingers through his hair and wondered if it was sticking up in odd angles.

"Remember, finances for my future. So, I'm heading back. Hopefully he hasn't left yet." Pansy declined, "Ta-ta for now." she threw some floo powder into the Malfoy Manor's fireplace and disappeared.

"I'll come with you, Cristiano probably left already. He's a closet gay." Blaise shrugged.

Draco laughed as he made his way towards the fireplace. He threw the floo powder in and stepped in.

* * *

Ginny pouted as she stared at her fireplace. She couldn't believe that Draco had just left. Yeah, she'd offended him but he usually had stronger skin than that! He must be really mad.

"Stop staring at the fireplace." Neville pulled her hand and dragged her off the couch.

"But…but…" she tried.

"Let's go get a drink." he tried.

"I'm broke," Ginny sighed.

"You have Firewhiskey, don't you?" Luna asked.

"Yeah, it's in the cabinet by the refrigerator."

"Then let's drink." Neville conjured three cups as Luna brought over the Firewhiskey. He each poured them a shot. Ginny grabbed hers and stared at the glass.

"Shot _one_: to leaving insufferable gits in the dust." he offered.

Ginny and Luna lifted their glasses and responded, "_Amen_."

The three took the shot.

Ginny hissed as it burned on the way down. She heard Neville and Luna do the same.

He poured them another shot.

"Shot _two_: to keeping away from Wrackspurts that fuzzy your brain and make you make bad decisions." Luna said.

"Like dating an insufferable git named Harry sodding Potter." A male voice added from behind them and Ginny turned to see Draco and Blaise Zabini standing in front of her fireplace.

"_Amen_," Neville and Luna responded.

They took the shot.

"You have room for two more?" Blaise asked, smiling charmingly at the trio.

Ginny nodded and Draco conjured two more glasses and they decided to sit around her dining room table; Ginny sitting between Draco and Luna.

"Okay, fill 'em up, Luna." she smiled and Luna poured the five shot glass.

"Shot _three_: to plotting ways to make people suffer terrible and painful fates." Ginny lifted her glass, smirking deviously.

"_Amen_," the group responded and took their shots.


	12. Dream Job

**11. Dream Job**

"That – that shot was splen-tacular! I just - I just made up that word. Get it? Get it? Like splendid and spectacular together!" Ginny said, snickering.

The others laughed.

The five of them: Ginny, Draco, Luna, Blaise and Neville were thoroughly plastered.

Ginny's face was flushed as she twirled her fingers across the top of her shot glass.

Luna's eyes were focused while the others were glazed over.

Blaise was smiling seductively at Neville who was trying to ignore him but the blush on his face showed that he wasn't as unaffected by the looks as he lead on.

Draco on the other hand was staring at the empty shot glass in his hands. He frowned at it then placed it on the table. He pushed his chair back and leaned forward until he was eye level with the glass.

"Whatdidtheshotglassdotoyou?" Ginny asked, her words slurring.

"Er - whaaaaat was that?" Draco asked.

"Nothing," Ginny muttered and laid her head against the table.

She was ridiculously drunk. She shouldn't have had so much since she was scheduled to work tomorrow at WWW and George needed her. He was counting on her. She took care of a lot of things at the shop but she didn't want to work there anymore. She wanted to have her own career that she chose.

"Then choose your own career. What do you want to do?"

Ginny looked up at Draco's words to all four of them looking at her. She hadn't realized she'd spoken out loud.

"But – but George needs me. Since Fred is…" She couldn't finish.

Her eyes watered at the memories that flooded through her mind at the mention of Fred. Usually she wasn't so emotional but lately, well, with the day she had today she had an excuse. She could be as emotional as she _damn_ wanted to be today.

"George will be okay on his own. If he needs help, I'm sure he could find it." Neville whispered. He took her hand then and squeezed it. Ginny squeezed back.

"What do you want to do? What have you wanted to become for a long time? What's your dream job?" Draco asked.

She looked around the table and sighed. She didn't want to work at WWW anymore. She wanted to go out into the world, make a difference.

"I want to be…" she stopped, rubbing her eyes with the heel of her hands.

"What do you want to be?" Luna asked as she twirled a lock of hair around her fingers.

"I want to be an Auror." she whispered, expecting them to laugh.

For a few moments, no one said a thing and then they were all talking at once.

"You wanna be an Auror! But – but – but since when?" Neville asked.

"I like it. Do it." Luna smiled.

"An Auror, yeah, I can toootally see it. Sexy woman in power," Blaise winked at her.

"Whoa, Ginny, are you serious? Do it. You can. I know it. Why didn't you ever say anything before?" Draco asked.

She blushed, biting her lip.

"Since my fourth year at Hogwarts but well, it just…er – I decided not to." She murmured in the hopes that no one would really hear her.

But Draco did and he knew why.

St. Bloody Potter, he growled inwardly, probably didn't agree that she should do what she was so obviously made to do. Probably felt threatened that he'd be in her shadow or something like that.

Merlin, that man was a complete tosser.

"I think you should do it. I'll talk to the Head Auror and maybe he'll owl you." Neville said.

"I don't know. Maybe it's too late." Ginny said.

"It's never too late to do what you want," Blaise told her as he stretched back and she noticed Neville check him out quickly.

She grinned as she looked at Neville. Who would have thought that that Neville could be interested in Blaise Zabini!

Neville looked over at her and he blushed when she wiggled her eyebrows at him.

She snorted and looked over to see Draco smirking at her.

She flushed but smiled at him.

"You're drunk." Draco chuckled.

"So are you," she responded as she leaned back against the chair and closed her eyes. She tilted the chair back so it was only on two legs.

"Watch out." Draco teased after kicking the back two legs.

She was suspended in air for a moment before she fell to the ground.

The other three laughed.

"What the hell?" She cried.

He laughed harder and she gasped. His laughter did funny things to her heart.

"You've got to be careful. I can't always be there to catch you, Red." he grinned.

She flushed even more, if possible.

Draco helped her to her feet and she immediately stumbled.

"Too much booze, maybe you should get some sleep." he said, wrapping an arm around her waist.

"Wait, wait!" she cried, grabbing her shot glass tightly and pouring everyone one more shot. "Shot twenty-one: to doing something you love and possibly kicking arse at it."

She took the shot as everyone screamed, "Amen," loudly and took their shots.

"We're heading out," Neville told Ginny as Draco held her up.

"Okay," she nodded.

She was drunk but happy drunk. She smiled at Neville who returned it.

"Can you take Blaise home? He's _too _drunk. Don't think he'll get off at the right gate if he floos home. Go outside and apparate." Draco told him.

"Sure," Neville nodded as he wrapped an arm around Blaise's waist and pulled him to his feet. They were about the same height but Neville had a few more pounds on him than the black man. Blaise was barely conscious. It looked like he was quite the light weight when it came to drinking.

"Blaise, you need to learn how to handle your booze." Ginny teased.

Blaise opened one eye and snorted. "You don't look like you can handle it much better than me, girlie." he said, drawing her attention Draco's arm.

"Yeah, yeah," she waved him off.

"Are you doing to be okay going home alone, Luna?" Neville asked her as she stood and stumbled a little.

"I sure am. I can handle myself. If not then it'll be like a little adventure trying to find my way home. Or maybe my father will come find me."

The four of them looked at her then burst out laughing. Leave it to Luna to find getting lost to be an adventure.

"Alright, goodnight, I'll just tuck our dearest hostess in bed and head home myself."

Draco ignored the look Blaise gave him and followed the two to the door.

Blaise and Neville headed out and as they reached the door, Ginny's mouth dropped when she saw Blaise whisper something into Neville's ear. He chuckled charmingly. Draco closed the door before she could say anything.

"Luna, maybe I should apparate you home." Draco tried but Luna smiled dreamily and shook her head.

"I'm okay, Draco. I'm off. Tootles, Ginny-dear." Luna smiled, gave Ginny a quick kiss on the cheek and disappeared into the flames.

"Alright, Red, time for bed." Draco started pulling her towards her bedroom. She struggled a bit but it was like putting up a fight with a hippogriff. You always lose.

"Boo, you party pooper. The night is still young." she muttered but her eyes closed.

"Yeah, sure, party-animal." he snorted then picked her up in his arms.

Ginny's eyes shot open. "Draco, put me down!"

She struggled in his arms.

"Nope, you walk way too slow. Now stop moving or I'll drop you."

She huffed and closed her eyes, relaxing into his embrace. She blushed when she inhaled his scent. His smelled so good. She smiled a bit and then she was lying in her big, comfy bed. Her eyes shot opened again. How had they gotten there so fast? She wondered.

"You fell asleep, Red." he told her.

She'd said that out loud. "Oh," she mumbled as she closed her eyes and cuddled into the covers forgetting the question and that it _had_ been odd since the door was a good distance from the bedroom.

"Goodnight," he whispered softly but Ginny was already asleep.


	13. Live Life to the Fullest

**12. Live Life to the Fullest**

"What happens if I use a Fever Fudge and Fainting Fancy at the same time?" A teenage boy asked Ginny as she stood behind the cash register at WWW. She looked up, rubbed her right eye and sighed.

"You'll faint and have a fever," she responded.

"Brilliant!" he exclaimed, grabbing a dozen of each, and dumping them on the counter.

The end of August was drawing near which meant another year at Hogwarts was about to begin. The shop had been full of kids all day buying all they could for the upcoming year. Filch was going to have his hands full this year. She grinned as the boy took his change and left the store with two bags full of items.

Ginny yawned, remembering the night before. She laughed at the memories then groaned at the amount of shots they had taken: twenty-one.

"Blimey, no wonder I have such a nasty hangover," she mumbled.

"Why did you drink so much if you knew you had to work?" George asked, walking into the shop from the back.

"I had a rotten day," she shrugged.

Really, rotten was an understatement.

"Ginny, Ginny, Ginny," he shook his head with a sad smile.

"Whaaaaaat?" she frowned. She didn't like the way he was looking at her.

"What happened with Harry?" he asked.

The air around them thickened with tension. Why did everyone want to know? Why couldn't they just let it go?

"Harry and I – we just –" she sighed.

"Give me the real story. Not the one you tell mum and the rest of the world," he said as he grabbed her by the shoulders and looked into her eyes. "What happened?"

"Harry cheated on me," she whispered.

"He did _what_?" A voice screeched from the door.

Ginny and George looked over to see a very angry Molly Weasley.

"Mum! What are you doing here?" Ginny asked, praying her mother hadn't actually heard her.

"Harry cheated on you?" Molly asked.

"Ha, ha, ha just kidding!" she said, trying to play it off but it didn't look like either of them were going to fall for it.

"Ginevra Molly Weasley, you tell me the truth _right now_!" Molly said.

Ginny cringed, "Yes, Harry cheated on me."

"Maybe it's all a misunderstanding, dear. Maybe it wasn't really him," Molly said.

Ginny's temper rose. "Mum, it was definitely him touching a woman who wasn't me. I saw _them_ with my own eyes," she said darkly.

"Ginny, maybe there's a reason why. Did you ask him?"

"Ask him? The only words I'll be saying to Harry Potter will be _Cruci-_'" she said, slamming her fist against the counter.

Molly cut her off, "GINEVRA! Don't you dare finish that!" Molly looked around nervously, "Someone might hear you."

"I don't care if anyone hears me. I'll gladly go to Azkaban. He deserves it. Who cares that he's the Boy-Who-Lived. Because I really don't," she said.

"No one deserves to tortured, Ginny," Molly told her.

Ginny glanced at George to see his dark eyes narrow dangerously. It looked like George agreed enough with her anger.

"Do you believe me?" she asked, looking at her mother.

"What?" Molly asked.

"Do you believe me now when I say it wasn't my fault? Or are you going to tell me that I made him do it, somehow?" she asked.

"Ginny, I -" Molly said.

Ginny continued, "Harry Potter cheated on me. He cheated on me! I didn't do a damn thing to make him do that to me! All I did was love him and that didn't help!"

George cringed, and with the flick of his wand, the front door locked and a sign appeared saying "Temporarily closed. Be back in half an hour."

"Ginny," Molly said, stepping closer. "I believe you."

The older woman came around the counter and hugged Ginny tightly. They hugged for a bit while George stood there and watched.

"Okay, okay, we need to reopen. There's a line." George said, separating them.

"Thank you, Mum," Ginny smiled, and hugged her quickly one more time.

"No problem, dear. Now, let me tell your brothers –" She said.

Ginny cut her off, "Absolutely not. I'm sure Ron has already taken care of it." she told her mother.

"But –" Molly tried again.

"No, I didn't want anyone to know for a reason. It's my business," she said.

"Okay," Molly nodded, and looked down at her bag. "Oh, now I remember why I was originally here. George, you forgot to take this with you this morning." She said, handing him a stack of papers.

"What is that?" Ginny asked.

"Oh, they're resum –" Molly was saying.

George jumped in and covered her mouth, "Oh, it's nothing!" George said.

Ginny looked at him suspiciously. "What was that?" She asked again.

"Oh look, customers! We're open now!" George said.

Magically, the door opened from behind the counter. The door burst open with costumers. As the store filled, Ginny accepted the fact that George wouldn't tell her right now but she would find out.

* * *

The first thing Ginny did when she got off of work was head over to Neville's flat in muggle London. She wanted to apologize for the night before. In her drunkenness, she hadn't properly said goodnight to everyone. Plus, she needed to talk to him about becoming an Auror. Throughout the day, she'd thought about it and realized they were right.

It was her life and she could do what she wanted with it.

She apparated and appeared in the alleyway just outside Neville's building. As she opened the door, her mind wandered to Draco. Even though she'd been drunk, she still remembered how he had held her and how it had felt. Hell, he'd smelled so good.

She closed her eyes and sighed. She was thinking way too much about the blond. She needed to focus more on how her life was going to change because the more she thought about it, the more she realized that it had been boring and definitely not the way she'd planned her life to go originally.

She opened the door and headed up the stairs. Harry had held her back so much. Since they got back together, he'd kept her away from the things she wanted to do.

"Not anymore," she whispered.

Now, she was going to live her life the fullest, Merlin be damned!

She knocked on the door to flat number 34C and waited for Neville to answer the door.

As she waited, she thought about what Draco had said about the whole Auror business. He told her to just do it and he was right. She should. She'd wanted to be an Auror since forever and well, things had gotten out of control when she graduated, but now she would do it.

Maybe, if she was lucky, Neville had already written to the Head Auror. That was to be expected.

What she didn't expect was who answered the door.

"Blaise?" she asked, her mouth dropping.

The man was only wearing a pair of boxer-briefs and his lips were swollen. His chest was bare and his body was thin, lean and looked hard.

She cleared her throat when she realized where her thoughts were going. He's gay! She thought.

"Who is it?" She heard Neville ask, pulling the door open wider. He tried to shut the door in embarrassment when he saw who it was. "Fuc –"

"Neville!" Ginny laughed.

"It's not what it looks like," he cried, rubbing his eyes.

But it looked exactly like what it was.

Neville was also only in his boxer-briefs and her eyes widened slightly when she noticed the love bites across his chest and neck.

"Neville, put on some clothes, please," she said, covering her eyes.

Blaise chuckled. "No, don't. I like you better like this," he said seductively.

Ginny groaned. "Blaise!" she laughed.

She felt someone's hand grab her arm and pulled her into the flat. She heard the door shut behind her. A few minutes later, she heard Neville tell her it was okay to look. But it wasn't really. While, Neville was dressed respectively in a pair of dark jeans and his shirt from last night, but Blaise was still in his boxers.

"Blaise, some clothes, _please,_" Ginny said, shaking her head as she sat down on the couch in the living room.

"Oh, alright," he complained as he disappeared into Neville's room.

When the door shut behind him, Ginny looked at Neville with a smile. "I didn't know you were –"

He cut her off, "Before you finish that sentence, I'll tell you that _no,_ I'm not gay!" he whispered, looking back at the door to his bedroom.

"Neville," she sighed.

"I'm not." he insisted.

"Well, it looks like you two men, may I remind you, were engaged in some inappropriate behavior last night. You even have hickies on your chest, do you know?" she told him.

He cringed. "I'm not gay, Ginny," he told her.

"Did you or did you not participate in inappropriate behavior last night with Blaise Zabini?" she asked him.

It didn't matter, really, but she was curious.

"It was definitely not inappropriate," Blaise said, chuckily. "I'd say it was _very _appropriate." He stepped into the room, buttoning his dress shirt. As he stood beside Neville, he winked at him.

Neville blushed.

"Why are you here, Ginny?" Neville asked quickly, trying to change the subject.

Neville wanted the man, she thought and smiled wickedly.

"Ginevra! Why are you _here_?" Neville was losing his patience.

Ginny smiled, "Why? Was I interrupting something?" She teased.

"Yes," Blaise said.

Neville exclaimed, "No!"

"I see, I see," Ginny smiled. "I'll just make this quick then. I wanted to talk to you about the Auror thing more, Neville. I've been thinking about it all day," she said, changing the subject.

"Why didn't you go to Draco, Little Weasel?" Blaise asked.

Ginny blushed.

Blaise's eyebrows rose as she turned to Neville. "Well, Neville's my best friend. And he said he'd talk to someone." she explained, brushing a lock of hair behind her ear.

"I actually haven't - _ahem_ - I haven't had a chance to contact the office yet. It's my day off, actually." he told her, pulling on his collar.

Blaise snorted. "Anyway, I have to go. So, maybe you can get in touch with them now." Blaise said. He stretched and Ginny noticed Neville's eyes roam over his body.

"No, no, don't leave on my account." Ginny stood, instantly feeling bad. She'd interrupted them; she should have owled ahead of time.

"Oh, don't worry, Weaslette. I have an appointment in a bit. Maybe, we'll see each other later?" he asked, smiling mischievously at Neville.

Neville bit his lip and nodded shyly.

Neville let Blaise out and a few minutes later, he returned with a small smile.

Ginny scrunched her nose jokingly, "Neville! Not while I'm here!" she teased.

"Don't even start, Gin." he said, throwing himself on the couch next to her. He groaned.

"What? What's wrong?" She asked, surprised by his reaction.

"What's wrong? _What's wrong?_ Are you seriously asking me that?" he asked.

"Uh, yes, I am," she answered. She didn't like the expression he had on his face.

"He's a bloke," he said.

"Yeah, I did realize that," she agreed.

"I'm one too!" he hissed.

And there was the problem. She should have realized it before.

"Aren't you disgusted?" he asked.

"Disgusted? No, why?" she asked.

He growled, stood from the couch and mumbled, "forget about it." He made his way towards the kitchen.

Ginny sighed, deciding to let it go. He obviously wasn't ready to talk about it and plus, she had her own problems to deal with at the moment.

"Look, I have to meet Gran for lunch in an hour. I'll write to the Head Auror, Robards, when I get back. Want to have lunch with us?" he asked, running a hand through his hair.

He was really conflicted. She could tell in his movements.

"No, thank you," she said, getting to her feet. Where Neville was a sweetheart, his Gran was not. She was like the Devil, Satan, and a bloody pain in the arse. "I should get back anyway. Artemis hasn't eaten in a few hours. Plus I need to clean a bit."

Neville nodded and led her out. He stopped at the door and said, "Don't tell anyone about Blaise."

"Are you ashamed?" she asked.

He hesitated and that was answer enough.

"If you're ashamed then don't do it again." she told him.

He nodded, but judging by his expression, he was conflicted.

Ginny sighed. He was an adult and he needed to figure it out on his own. He couldn't have anyone tell him what to do.

"Well, let me know what Kingsley says," she said, stepping out and shutting the door behind her.


End file.
